Pablo Andujar torpedoed Lukasz Kubot in the semi-final – Mercedes cup 2011
Saturday the 16th of July-2011 saw Pablo Andujar, the Espanola torpedo the Pole Lukasz Kubot in an enthralling, spellbinding match that lasted for more than two hours and twenty four minutes at the TC Weissenhof Court,
Stuttgart, Germany.
This was not the first time the two players were meeting; both the players had experienced the technique and style of one another. They battled each other once in 2009 prior to this event. The Pole had a 1-0 lead in their head
to head which gave him an upper hand on his opponent.
On July 13th 2009 the two took up the gauntlet for the first time on a classic clay court at Tennis Club Weissenhof Court, Stuttgart, Germany. Regardless of age Lukasz had won the match dexterously 6-2, 6-4 and gained
a 1-0 match lead against Pablo.
The High Power had made fate cross their paths again, giving the 25-year-old Espanola a chance to avenge his loss, and Hallelujah! He won 6-4,3-6,6-4 putting Lukasz to shame.
The first set of the match saw neither of the players throw an ace; Kubot serving first; had aced three times and the Pole’s accuracy seemed to falter as out of three double faults one hit the net and the other two were line faults but
he wasn’t to give up easily and won an above average of fifty three percent of total serve points along with a disappointing thirty two percent of his total return points, while his rival (Pablo) had almost twice as many more points than him. Pablo not only
managed win to sixty seven percent of his break points but also had an excellent serve which won him the match with a total of fifty percent win in the total set and won the set 6-4 against his opponent.
Kubot, losing the first set jumped back in the game, and again serving first; served no ace, struck three double faults and had an excellent first serve points along with mediocre (return points which were thirty six percent) and
even though he was not able to utilize the remaining three break points he managed to save seventy percent of his break points. Whereas, Pablo threw an ace, had one double faults (a major improvement from the first set), and although he won sixty four percent
of his first serve points, he had below average first return points. Further disappointing the fans; he was unable to avail the other three break point opportunities out of the four that were presented to him even though he managed to save sixty five percent
of his break points. Lukasz bouncing back into the match won the set, and tied the set win to 1-1.
After being defeated in the second set, the 25-year-old had one last chance to bounce back in the last and final deciding set of the match. It was a close match as both the players saw a difference of one percent in their total
set service points with Kubot achieving fifty seven percent and Pablo fifty eight percent along with one percent difference in the total set return points; Kubot scoring a forty two percent and Pablo attaining forty three percent.
However, Pablo gained the competitive edge as he managed to save eighty percent of his break points and won both his break points making it a hundred percent and hence, winning the set with a total of fifty won percent where his
rival lost the match with a total of forty nine percent of the total set points.
The higher Power granted Pablo’s wish and overall the first and last sets were largely dominated by Pablo’s presence on the court; across the board, Pablo had won sixty percent of his total service points along with forty three
percent of total return points thus equalizing the head to head matches played 1-1 and also winning the match 2-1.
Andujar will be facing his compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero on the 17th of July in the Final match of the Mercedes Cup where both the clay specialists will battle it out at the Tennis Club Weissenhof Court, Stuttgart,
Germany.
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